Comparative analysis of cats’ lymphocytes structural features with and without retroviral infection using atomic force microscopy

Abstract

The results of the comparative analysis of morphometric and elastic parameters of the fixed lymphocytes from intact and infected with viral immunodeficiency and leukemia cats using atomic force microscopy are presented. It is found that the adhesive properties and the roughness of the cell surface of cats’ lymphocytes with FeLV and FeLV - FIV infection are reduced by 27 – 45 % and 19 – 32 %, respectively. These indicators in the lymphocytes of FIV infected cats did not significantly differ from the intact cats’ lymphocytes. An increase in the Young’s modulus of lymphocytes in cats with retroviral infection of 9 - 16 % compared to the control has been shown. It is found that lymphocytes from cats with retroviral infection are characterized by a decrease in volume at 36 - 77 % compared to the control cats’ lymphocytes. Intact animals’ lymphocytes have a domed shape, whereas infected cats’ cells have a greater perimeter and length with reduced height. Peculiarities of blood lymphocytes in FIV, FeLV and FeLV - FIV infected cats can be important in the study of immunological mechanisms in the retrovirus pathogenesis.